Virtual Summer Memory Episode 2 Part 1

The story tunes in at the physical world, where Hephaestus is pounding away at his keyboard in the darkness of his workshop. Confusion dawns on his face as he stares at his monitor, and Hephaestus starts saying that the virtual space is indeed not taking any of his commands. He blames the Something inside the black box he was using to make the virtual space for this turn of events, and he starts wondering if Otohime did something or if it was the previous owner of the black box/Dark Matter.

Hephaestus quickly puts the question out of his mind since that's not quite as important as the fact that the virtual world and the Dragon Palace is not under his authority. He's not sure what danger it is you're exposed to, but he says it's all his fault. The computer beeps to inform him that he's failed to access the thing again, prompting him to scratch at his head. He wonders aloud if he'll be unable to salvage your consciousness as long as the error remains unsolved and the Dragon Palace stays connected. And above all, he needs to keep his comm link with Talos safe.

 

Title card pops up, and this chapter is called Dancing With the Ghost Ship.

 

Back to your side of things, narration describes how strangely calm it is around the Dragon Palace as opposed to what was happening before. Yamasachi says things are complicated and that he doesn't understand the details about all this. He tries to grasp the situation by asking if you guys are using some machine that can show dreams and are now stuck and unable to leave the Dragon Palace in the Dream. He also shrugs to himself commenting that the Dragon Palace is so beautiful it could only exist in a dream. And while Yamasachi is talking, Talos is standing there silently, apparently in the middle of transmitting something. You tell Yamasachi he basically has the gist of it and say you guys might be seeing a dream.

 

Yamasachi asks if you guys really do need to find a way to leave the Dragon Palace, then wonders to himself if he's just having a dream where he's looking for the fish hook if this is all a dream. Talos is still standing stock still working on something as this conversation goes on. You say you don't know the details, but Hephaestus is researching that right now.

 

Tiger Man comments that Talos hasn't said a thing in a while and wonders if he's processing a lot of data or something. He talks about feeling restless having nothing to do but wait, so he turns to you and suggests having a lucha libre match in the meantime. Shennong however picks up on something and says that on further reflection it's strange that you're all seeing the same dream. He points out that the only people brought in to the virtual space are supposed to be people listed on your contact list, so how is it that a stranger to you is here? Shennong then accuses Yamasachi of having randomly exchanged contact info with you. Yamasachi is surprised by this and says he doesn't know either.

 

Talos speaks up at this point to announce that a comm channel has been connected with Hephaestus. Hephaestus tunes in and apologizes for making you wait, then says he'll tell you what he knows about things in general. Yamasachi reacts in surprise at seeing Hephaestus's hologram and asks if he's Talos's brother's ghost. Hephaestus takes offense at being described as looking like Talos as he calls Talos his ideal he made with his genius for his mother's sake. Yamasachi has no idea what he's talking about and asks if that's true, so you say it's complicated, that Hephaestus is a difficult person, and that you are the mother he's talking about. Algernon nods and says you guys already knew things were complicated and focuses the topic towards solving the current problem. Hephaestus says he'll get to explaining then and asks you to not get mad.

 

Hephaestus starts talking about the box you picked up before, then tells you it was made from Dark Matter, a material that can Seal Memories in it. Since you couldn't go play in the ocean, he decided to use the memories sealed in the box to make a virtual reality ocean. He was only planning on using the memories on the surface level of the box, but it looks to him like Something from deeper within is interfering with things.

 

Hephaestus figures that this something is most likely the memories of Someone from Somewhere that was sealed inside the box and saw the Dragon Palace. Hephaestus takes the time to stress that he didn't expect any of this to happen, and that the Dragon Palace from whatever world it comes from has informational compatibility with the virtual space. You ask if that's possible, ask if it's different from an overworld shift, and/or ask about this compability.

 

Hephaestus says this is very similar to an overworld shift in that this is a phenomenon that recreates a reality from a Transient's memories. The Dragon Palace from the memories recorded into the box has been overlaid onto the virtual reality, but Hephaestus says that's not all. That programming language that runs the Dragon Palace is causing some sort of error with the virtual space. Charles wonders if this is some sort of compatibility thing between Tokyo tech and the tech of whichever world made the Dragon Palace, and Algernon comments it's hard to believe even with the thing they did with Talos before he realizes something.

 

Algernon and Charles start having a private conversation, and Algernon starts talking about the tower of language unity Babel and the app, specifically the supernatural translation technology that can translate between the languages of all the worlds. If that is used as an intermediary their theory can work, though Algernon points out that the ability to communicate and the ability to get your intentions across are two different things.

 

Back to the larger conversation, Hephaestus supposes that the bug Otohime is talking about is the things being produced by this unexpected interconnection, so he'll have to think of a way to destroy it and solve the system error. He's then surprised to notice that Tiger Man and Yamasachi have fallen asleep during the explanation, and you can either be shocked at this, admit that it is a difficult topic, or be asleep yourself. In C, there's a bit extra as Shennong laughs that the three of you look so comfy sleeping, then calls the three of you so rude to be falling asleep like this and suggests using a really painful shot to get you guys to snap out of it.

 

Anyways, Yamasachi snaps awake as he starts apologizing and saying he didn't understand what people were talking about. But since you guys are locked off and all, Yamasachi suggests going to talk to Otohime. She looks after the place, so she should be able to let you guy out, right? You notice that the space is warping and have an idea as to why, and Otohime pops up admitting she's heard your conversation and apologizes for eavesdropping. She bows deeply to you all, yet her expression is still nigh unreadable.

 

Otohime explains that since the Dragon Palace is a place meant for people to stay and heal their hearts, she won't stop people if they want to leave. That said, when you guys visited the castle she saw that you guys got entangled in some sort of connection. This place is supposed to protect the public peace, which is why its information network has been sealed. She suggests that you guys relax and wait until things clear up with this snag, and you say that could be difficult and wonder if anything can be done, or you can ask if everyone else is safe. In C there's an extra bit where Otohime apologizes and says that due to the forced lockdown, she can't confirm if people are okay. The castle servants have been spread out and posted to each section, and she does guess that if comms are up she'd find that nothing has happened.

 

Anyways, Talos announces that he's done with his data analysis and reports that several passages inside the area have been blocked. Talos then asks Otohime why you guys aren't inside the lockdown too, so Otohime answers that the Dragon Palace's security system has deemed the relevant areas' errors to be resolved. Since the problem that was created from the data being tangled as been corrected, the lockdown was lifted there. Yamasachi thinks on this and wonders if it has to do with what happened before, and Tiger Man figures it must be because the bug slime is gone now. Otohime asks in surprise if that means you guys removed the error yourselves, telling you that since they aren't originally part of the place she won't be able to detect them even if they're in front of her. You are surprised that Otohime can't see the slimes but then figure that's why the servants acted as they did.

 

Shennong also figures that the servants being unable to see the slime must be why they stopped you when Yamasachi was being attacked. Algernon notes that this is all still going on, then asks if this means that you guys are the only ones able to solve the current crisis. Algernon turns to you and asks what you'll do as he warns you that this could be rough enough to break your bones. You can answer that you like cleaning, talk to Shennong and say you guys need to save everyone, or turn to Tiger Man and comment that this summer looks to be a hot one.

 

In A, Charles thinks on your response and decides he'll see how you'll do for himself. Algernon immediately teases him and asks if he's smiling, and Charles declines to answer. In B, Shennong says you're sticking your neck into some trouble again, so he'll go along with you because he'll have to. If you get hurt or feel worse he tells you to let him know right away, then jokes about spitting on your wounds to heal you. In C, Tiger Man says turning things around when things look bleak is the best scenario and that he's heating up so much right now. If there's someone to save, then that's the best place for a face like him to show himself, and he talks about the two of you tag teaming and charming everyone.

 

Hephaestus thinks you're being reckless again, but he admits he's at fault for this too. If the cause can only be seen from his end of things, then he'll look for a way to hack into the Dragon Palace's system and take control from there. And since he needs more information, Hephaestus orders Talos to go investigate and places a priority order about protecting you. And if possible, he asks for the frag files left behind by the bug slime to be collected. Talos acknowledges the order, then suggests you guys start by searching for places put on lock down since a bug should be around there.

 

Yamasachi asks if you guys can go look for the fish hook while you're all at it and offers to help with your work as compensation. This reminds him to ask Otohime about the fish hook too, so he does that. He says it's important to his brother and asks her to let him know if she finds it. Otohime promises to let him know right away if she sees it, which Yamasachi reasons to mean she hasn't come across it before. He gets over his depression at that quickly as he reminds himself that having everyone look is better than him looking on his own, and he asks for your help too. You either find this to be an odd request and say you need to focus on getting out first, or you can agree to look and try to talk him into giving you some sort of reward for doing so.

 

In A and B, Yamasachi laughs and says he's kidding before being taken aback by how hard you're glaring at him. He sighs that his uptight older brother often told him that his jokes don't come out like jokes, then apologizes to you saying he wanted your attention. In C, Yamasachi starts laughing his request off before he processes what you said and asks if you really will help look for the fish hook. He starts thanking you profusely until you remind him about the bit about a reward. He offers to do anything he can for you like getting some great mountain veggies, river fish, or fragrant bamboo. Then he's a little weirded out by that look in your eyes.

 

Otohime apologizes for being unable to help despite being the Dragon Palace master, though she offers to keep everyone else in the zones protected until the situation is resolved. Once her link to her servants is corrected, she can guarantee the safety of different areas. You either ask Otohime to do so, tell everyone to head out, or tell Talos it's time to go. A has an extra line where Otohime says you can leave your friends to her.

 

Talos says he's all ready to get going, then tells everyone to look at the heights of Hephaestus's ideals that is his steel body. Talos activates the transformation of what he calls Summer Ocean Mode, which causes his legs to transform as complex machine parts are revealed. Shennong is surprised to see that Talos's legs have transformed into jets and asks if that's possible in a virtual world. Talos asks you to hold onto his arms and see his underwater mobility for yourself. Yamasachi gets alarmed as he begs Talos to not leave you guys behind and tells everyone else to jump on too. Talos is somehow able to support carrying everyone's weight as the jet screws on his legs start spinning, then flies overhead of the Dragon Palace. Algernon observes as he switches the jet mode on his deck brush on, and Charles notes that Talos is fast, but Not As Fast As Them. You try to ask what Algernon said, but the sudden acceleration cuts you off. Otohime watches you all go, and she calls Yamasachi's name and adds Master to it.

 

At this point the story decides to turn the clock back to around the same time as you guys got rid of that first bug slime. Shirou is talking about how this is an experience you'd also see in a dream, then tells Ryouta that he's being rude to be taking every plate of sushi on the revolving sushi belt. Ryouta tries to excuse himself saying he was just too happy to have plate after plate of sushi come by even with all the ones he's eating. Plus he doesn't feel any fuller despite all how much he's eaten, and they'll even bring out any sushi he specifically asks for.

 

Shirou is baffled that Ryouta is moved to tears about this, then reminds him that Shennong had mentioned that discretion is important even when anything is possible. Ryouta agrees as he thinks on how this is a virtual world and like a dream. If he gets too used to this and starts doing the same thing in reality people would get mad at him there. Ryouta then considers joining Kengo and the others in their exercising since that means he could play without getting tired.

 

As it turns out, Kengo and Touji are having a really intense game that Shirou barely recognizes as beach volleyball. The two are using superhuman physical abilities for the game and are hitting the ball so hard the air seems to be shaking. Ryouta reconsiders joining in on their game and starts wondering where Agyou is when something catches his attention. The alarm from before is going off and Otohime is broadcasting her announcement declaring that a bug program has been found.

 

Shirou is alarmed at hearing Otohime saying that a lockdown will be happening, so he tells everyone to get as close to each other as possible. Ryouta asks what the bug program means before he calls out telling everyone to regroup too. Touji thinks the volley ball game being too intense might be the reason an error occurred, and Agyou notes that it's creepy how suddenly quiet everything is and that the merfolk have stopped moving.

 

After a moment the merfolk servants start rattling robospeak about how their self-diagnosis is done and that they've been cut off from admin program, so they switch to auto mode. They talk about how an unexpected error has occurred and an analysis program is running, so they ask that everyone wait quietly for now. Agyou is glad that the merfolk are moving again and says he was worried when they stopped. The mermaid apologizes and says they're okay now. They also promise to protect everyone. Agyou gets the feeling that they'll suck at that and also gets the feeling that they're treating him like a kid.

 

Kengo notices that you aren't there and asks if you went off to a different area. Touji says you were with Talos earlier and says you don't seem to be around here. Agyou is surprised and asks Kengo if him looking for you means he's worried about you. Kengo tries to bluff that just worrying about you would be a waste but sort of admits to it a little. Shirou says he's also worried about you but figures understanding what's happening should come first. Shirou talks to one of the merfolk and asks if the lockdown means that there are measures keeping them from going to other areas. The merfolk confirm this and try to assure him that they'll protect everyone when they start bugging out. The episode ends as Shirou tries to see if they're okay when things apparently crash.