We pick up with another Kaibutsu popping up, and children react to it by screaming and crying. Kyoichi tells the kids to not move, saying he'll come save them. He calls out that he'll show his finishing move, then pulls out Instruction "First Lesson in Tactics 180 Degrees" (or something along those lines). How his ultimate works in practice starts by creating a trapezoidal barrier that gets compared to a vaulting horse in shape around the children, then he grips his weapons as he spins his body to rip open a hole in the Kaibutsu's body.
With the monster destroyed, Kyoichi declares the lesson to be over. The children cheer for him, and Kyoichi tells the kids to stick with the party as he promises to take them somewhere safe. Akashi is surprised and impressed with how Kyoichi moved, mentioning that he was once nicknamed the Base Stealing King. Kyoichi hears this and glares at him, so Akashi quickly corrects by calling him Element Teacher and pointing out how easily he took the Kaibutsu out. Who could he possibly beeee. Kyoichi laughs about being complimented, then makes a point of pretending he doesn't know Akashi personally as he asks him to lead the kids.
Akashi sighs that Kyoichi transformed in view of the kids, so he wonders why he bothers trying to keep the secret identity schtick going. You either guess that Kyoichi is really mindful about being a pro, agree that there's no point to it, or tease Akashi about not getting the magic of it. C gets an extra line where Akashi is surprised by the remark and wonders if that's really a thing. But anyways the kids call Element Teacher cool and legitimately wonder who he is, then notice that Kyoichi isn't around. Akashi just looks on baffled.
Some time later Shouen notes that the area is mostly cleared. Mokdai agrees, saying the only places left would be the area around the clubhouse Justice is and the big open area by the entrance. Kyoichi notes that the park is huge and suggests it's possible that Kaibutsu might respawn in the areas they've already cleared. He suggests keeping a careful watch and regrouping with Justice, which Shouen agrees with. You ask if they're alright, ask if they're tired, or comment that you're tired yourself. For some reason only A triggers the extra dialogue where Kyoichi does admit to a little fatigue, but he turns the question on you to ask if the consecutive battles are tiring you out.
Mokdai notes that the camera has been rolling for an hour now and the battles have been pretty much constant. That said, Mokdai also brings up that the observed number of Kaibutsu is definitely going down. He suggests catching your breath for a second before moving on again.
Akashi is quiet, so one of the kids try talking to him and ask what's wrong. He's surprised by the concern, then brushes it off as nothing much. He puts on a smile as he tells them to stick close to him since they're going to move soon. He leads the kids on, and as he does so he starts reflecting on the origins of his dream.
Akashi narrates for a bit, talking about how he totally forgot about how hard he chased after his dream. Why did he ever think to become a pro? Why did he keep trying so stubbornly to be one of the pros he admired? It's true that there was a pro that he admired, but still... Akashi thinks to himself and wonders what solidified his decision. What did he want to do? He mentions feeling like he's on the verge of remembering something.
Back to more immediate issues, more Kaibutsu appear pop up, and Shouen tells Kyoichi to get ready to fight. Kyoichi sighs that there isn't any time to rest, but he steels himself saying he can't let the monsters be on their own in the city where his students live in. He yells that he can't let the children be erased from everyone's memories, getting into a battle ready stance again. And these words happen to stick with Akashi, pulling at his mind as he thinks on the part about disappearing from memories as the episode battle starts. More happens after that.
After the battle, the story picks up from there as the Kaibutsu are defeated, leaving a bunch of children in their wake as Shouen points out. Kyoichi yells out to the kids and asks if they're okay. Narration slips into Akashi's head to talk about knowing how people eaten by Kaibutsu are erased from people's memories. It's because he knew that he told you what happens, what with your memory lapse. But still, something seems stuck. It's the origin of why he began to try at becoming a pro athlete. It's an important, important promise covered in an intense memory.
Back outside, one kid is crying. Kyoichi attempts to comfort them saying they're safe now, but the kid cries about not knowing anything anymore. They've forgotten who they are and where they are, and they sob about not knowing what to do. Kyoichi realizes what's happened and is sympathetic, then tells the kid it'll be okay. He assures them that their memories will come back with a little bit of time. For now, they should stop worrying about things and come along as he promises to protect them. The kid sniffs and nods.
You ask if that child has amnesia. Mokdai says it happens from time to time. Sometimes when someone gets eaten by a Kaibutsu, a part of their memory breaks off and disappears, though Mokdai doesn't know why it happens. But once the Kaibutsu is defeated, it comes back. It's still a scary thing though. Akashi speaks up and says he mentioned it before, but that happened to you before. The both of you were eaten once, and then saved by a hero. Akashi mentions not knowing until recently that getting eaten by a Kaibutsu can make you lose your memories, so he panicked back then. He stops midsentence as he has an epiphany, eyes wide and mouth open. You talk to Akashi and ask him what's wrong. Akashi remembers why he wanted to become a pro, then asks why he forgot about something so important. He looks to you, then says it's you. You are the reason why he wanted to become a pro athlete, you and the promise he made with you back then.
Flashback kicks in at a ruined beach by a destroyed port city. Sunlight rises up upon a large Kaibutsu's body. There, Akashi cries out in desperation, calling out to someone as his voice grows hoarse and wiping off his tears. He's happy to have been saved, but that gets overshadowed by the despair that his friend has forgotten everything up to even their very name. The friend he was always with, the one more important to him than anyone else, now struck with amnesia. He wanted them to remember something, wanted to help them remember something. He cries about hating to be forgotten about by them. He continues calling out to you back then. Eventually, you say his name. He asks you in desperation if you remember, and if you know who he is. When you nod, he hugs you hard and cries even harder.
That evening on your way back, Akashi talks to you looking a little embarrassed. He asks you to listen to him, then talks about feeling scared and lonely at the idea of being forgotten by everyone. And he was really scared when you two were saved but you still didn't remember who he was. Because of that, he's decided on something. He decides he wants to be someone that no one can forget, even if you in particular wanted to forget him. When you ask him what that actually means, he has to think on it for a second. He then comes upon the idea of becoming a pro baseball athlete. Since he's good at baseball as it is, he's going to do his best to become a pro. He'll work hard, get famous, then become a big enough name that no one can forget him! That should work on you and everyone, right? He swears to it then and makes it a promise, telling you to watch him.
Back to the present, you ask if that happened. Akashi is a bit shocked you forgot about it too and says as much. But then your memories are a mess, so what can anyone do about that? But as the one who actually made the promise, him forgetting is some sad sort of funny. He laughs and calls himself a dumbass loser. He tried his damnedest to fulfill a dream, and then he went on to forget he did it because he didn't want to be forgotten by you. He looks embarrassed as he scratches his head, and he slowly walks up to you. He then surprises you by grabbing you into a tight hug. Akashi apologizes, then says he's okay now. He swears to never forget again. You either tell him he's starting to hurt you and insist you don't mind, or you hug him back.
There's no practical difference as Akashi realizes what he's doing and apologizes for getting caught up in the moment. He gets embarrassed as he says he needs to remember you're both adults now, immediately backing off and trying to compose himself while blushing hard. The children watching immediately start hassling Akashi, teasing him for being so red in the face and so totally into you. Akashi blusters and insists that it's not like that. Shouen has a quick laugh too.
Mokdai is smiling along with everyone until he catches sight of something and yells to Akashi something is behind him. A tentacle or whatever reaches out and snags Akashi to his surprise, lifting him up. At the other end of it is a Kaibutsu. You are alarmed at its sudden appearance, and Shouen points out that it's a full grown one. Akashi demands the thing let him go, attempting to break out of its hold as he hits the tentacle. This seems to do nothing, and the Kaibutsu starts grabbing nearby children and moving to toss everyone into its mouth. You call out to Akashi and the others.
Kyoichi jumps in, demanding that the Kaibutsu lets go of everyone as he cuts the tentacles with his weapons. The monster scream as it drops everyone, who seem mostly okay from the fall. Akashi starts to apologize for letting his guard down, but Kyoichi tells him to get down as it's not over yet. The Kaibutsu bends down and tries to eat people directly, and Kyoichi responds by jumping into its mouth and using his weapons to keep its mouth forced open.
Akashi calls out to Kyoichi in alarm, and Kyoichi tells Akashi to run. Kyoichi braces himself as his weapons start to make cracking sounds. He's shocked to see them starting to break, and the Kaibutsu opens it mouth again and swallows Kyoichi whole. Everyone is shocked to see this, and the episode ends with Akashi yelling out senpai.
No comments:
Post a Comment