Live A Hero Golden Spirit of Dawn Episode 5

We begin with a flashback set at Gomeisa's homeworld. A giant Kaibutsu has just tore its way around, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, and the story focuses inside some forest. The Mother Tree has barely escaped unscathed, and people descend in groups from spaceships chained to it. Gomeisa looks up to his parents who dwarf him in size as they talk about something he doesn't seem to hear. He then asks his mother what they're talking about and who the people from the ships are.

 

The answers are not shown, but Gomeisa talks about how that time has come for him. He's still small, but now he can be helpful, which he's happy about. Gomeisa then sees the look on his mother's face, and he asks why she looks so sad and lonely. It was she who told him that this was an honor. Everyone in the forest said so. Everyone had gone on a journey, and now it's his turn to go...right? So why? And why is he crying now?

 

Back to the present, Gomeisa sleeptalks calling for his parents. Huckle notes that he's speaking his native language and wonders if he's dreaming. He then expresses some sympathy for him, and he softly wipes away a tear in Gomeisa's eyes without waking him.

 

Title card pops up, and this chapter is called Purple Haze.

 

Camera then tunes back in uptown as the curtain of night falls and the lights of the skyscrapers turn on. In this area are beautiful, old-fashioned, and high class looking buildings that seem to be built out of brick and mortar, and the party walks downtown the Sengen district looking for that one shop. Akashi points out the random businesses he sees, like brand name shops, night clubs, sushi bars, restaurants, and jewelers. Even the people walking around are wearing pretty high class clothes, and Akashi is feeling out of place.

 

Barrel observes that this is a town for adults, and he thinks the superiors in the police station probably hang around there too. He then realizes he probably shouldn't be saying any of that, saying he should zip his mouth. Mokdai mentions that he's been here before. He was brought here by the boss of some other company, and he was so nervous he doesn't remember how the food and drink was anymore. Akashi figures it was a business entertainment sort of place and asks what kind of store he went to. Mokdai is surprised by the question and has reservations about answering it. You ask him why he's hesitating, ask if he went to a sexy kind of store, or tell Akashi he shouldn't ask.

 

In A, Mokdai says he's totally not feeling guilty or anything and that it was totes a wholesome business establishment. He's just feeling awkward about talking about nighttime businesses to a student. Akashi protests in shock that they aren't that far apart in age and that he shouldn't be treated like a child. In B, Mokdai blushes as he tries to deny it, and Barrel tells you you shouldn't pry into Mokdai's dirty stories. He's an adult after all. Akashi is taken aback by the concept that these stores actually exist, and Mokdai insists that there was nothing unseemly about the place he went to. In C, Akashi is baffled and doesn't understand what you mean. Barrel does catch your drift, and Mokdai insists it was most definitely an upright respectable business place.

 

In any case, Barrel says that according to the directions on the ticket Polaris Mask gave you, the parlor is in a building down some alleyway. Said alleyway is of course slightly darker than the bright and dazzling main street, where there is already a small group of suspicious looking mobs. They glare at you guys as you walk past, like they're watching you. You either express some fear, wonder if you're going to somewhere dangerous, or glare back at them. C has Akashi tell you to knock it off in alarm since he's worried it'll cause extra trouble.

 

Anyways Akashi asks if the directions are right, and Mokdai worries that the thugs might attack you guys because he thought he saw them flick a knife or something. Barrel says you can't carry out an investigation if you let something like them intimidate you, then he sees the building you're looking for. The party then enters some solid looking building, and one of the mobs get irritated at seeing you guys go in.

 

Time passes as you all take the elevator to the top floor, and the door opens up to a coolly lit lounge sort of place. The interior has a unified chic look to it all, indeed the sort of place that comes to mind if someone were to think membership-based salon. Akashi is amazed by the decor and wonders if it's okay for him to even be there. Barrel says of course it is since they're here on an investigation. That said he takes a sniff and comments on smelling a strange scent, wondering if it's an aroma. Mokdai says the smell seems both familiar and not. You comment on it smelling like pineapples, strawberries, or something sweet.

 

Mystery Man walks in and says the scent is Purple Tone Cosmos. He says it's also described as the "scent of the universe," and that it's a specially made scent. Narration describes him as having a solid frame and looks with a certain bewitching air around him. Barrel freaks out over his sudden appearance and asks how long he's been there, and Mystery Man replies he came to see who came into his store. Barrel says he sees and tries to laugh off the awkwardness.

 

Mystery Man asks about you guys not having an appointment, and he says that the business is strictly members only and by appointment. He goes into the customer service spiel about having to turn you guys down without a member's referral or reservation when he stops midway after catching sight of you. He sudden leans in closer to you, and his eyes look over you as if observing you. You are thrown off by this reaction and ask him what's going on.

 

Mystery Man is quiet for a second before he apologizes, saying he couldn't help himself with how charming you looked. He hopes you can forgive him. Akashi is weirded out by him and asks if you're okay. You try to collect yourself and say you're fine, say you were surprised, or say you felt your heart flutter. C has Akashi get further weirded out as he says your tastes haven't changed.

 

Anyways, Barrel explains that you guys came to ask questions instead of getting treatment, and he pulls out his police ID to show the man. Mystery Man is surprised by this and asks what questions is he talking about. Barrel brings up that a hero came by earlier today, and Akashi notices something. Mokdai asks him why he's looking at the window, so Akashi says he thought he felt someone watching you guys. Since he doesn't see anyone he wonders if he imagined it, but someone somewhere is indeed quietly watching.

 

Time passes a bit as you guys are lead to some sofas in the lounge and given some tea and pastries. You comment that the tea is nice, say that tea and scones are so stylish, or say that you're relaxing so much you might drop off. C gets Akashi to tell you to stay awake because you're still on the job. But anyway Mystery Man talks about how the tea has a nice aroma. He makes it for his customers, but it's plenty popular besides that. Back when he lived in what remained of Australia (re: the British Commonwealth), he had some hangups about what he put out for tea time.

 

Barrel asks Mystery Man if it's okay to call him by name instead of a title, which seems to be Exio Grant. He also tries to get the investigation back on track. Exio apologizes for getting sidetracked and confirms that Procy, full name Procyon Floud(?), was there at 12 o'clock earlier. Akashi is confused by the use of Procyon and asks if his name wasn't Procy. Barrel points out that the paperwork has Procyon written on it, and he suggests Procy is just a day to day nickname.

 

Barrel looks through the customer logs, and he reads off the details of Procy's visit. He showed up just before 12 PM, prep and treatment went on for about an hour, and he left around 1:30. Barrel asks Exio about this half hour time period between the treatment and Procy leaving. Exio explains that he has customers change their clothes when undergoing treatment, so half that time was Procy changing clothes. The other half he puts down as small talk. It had been some time since Procy last came over, so the talks went on for a while.

 

Barrel asks if Exio can tell him what his conversation with Procy was about. Exio says he can't go into more detail because of customer privacy concerns, but he does reveal that someone Procy knew for a long time had just come to Earth, so he was going to go see him. You ask about this person, and Exio says that Procy came for an adjustment because he was going to see them.

 

Since you're on the subject, Barrel says he's heard this is a hero-oriented massage parlor, and he asks what adjustment actually means in more concrete terms. Exio declines to give details citing it's a trade secret, but he does say that customers who come to him often have been feeling out of tune in their recent battles and come in to prepare for an upcoming important fight. Procy seemed to have come in for the same reason. That's about as much as he can say. Barrel doesn't press further and thanks him for telling him what he has said so far.

 

Akashi is surprised that's it and asks if he's not going to ask any more questions. He could ask about this longtime acquaintance of Procy's or the effects of the massage since there's still a lot of stuff unexplained. Barrel says that while policemen on TV and movies do that, in reality this is how questioning tends to go. If clear relevance to a case isn't established and a search warrant isn't given, you can't forcefully interrogate someone who isn't a suspect into divulging what they aren't willing to share. Exio adds that since he deals with the privacy of many customers, he wasn't supposed to tell you as much as he did. He doesn't know much about Procy's old friend or other, and he apologizes if it doesn't help.

 

Barrel waves it off and apologizes for the sudden visit. He says it's time for you guys to go, and he prompts Mokdai to get up. Mokdai is taken by surprise at this and asks for a little more time to finish eating the scone with cream he has. Akashi is taken aback and asks what he really came here for. Exio laughs and says he doesn't mind. In fact he made those scones himself, so he's happy Mokdai likes them so much. You comment on how devoted he is to his appetite, point out that this is why he's fat, or point out that he has cream on his face. A simply has Mokdai be embarrassed as he says he's heard it before, but he's never felt like doing anything about it. B has Mokdai recoil in shock for a second before saying the same thing. C has Mokdai get embarrassed at the fact. Akashi is the one to say this is why he's fat, and Mokdai says the same thing as the above.

 

Anyways, Barrel thanks Exio for cooperating with the investigation and excuses himself. Exio says he'd be happy if next time you guys came as customers, and he takes the time to bow to everyone one by one as you head to the elevator. You are the last in line, and you say your goodbyes. Exio however leans in and whispers to you, saying he'll probably be seeing you again later as he calls you by name. This catches your attention since you've never told it to him. Akashi tells you to hurry up, so you nod to him and get going with not much else to say. Exio just smiles and watches you off like he didn't just do something suspicious, and as you leave you get the feeling like the back of your head is being pulled on.

 

Camera focuses on Exio for a bit, and he talks to himself about how unexpected it was for him to meet you directly. But then, this is apparently Just As Chosen. He thinks it's fine since you still don't have a grasp on the full extent of your powers, but the moment you do he thinks you'll probably be a Threat to the Universe. Exio looks up towards the sky, and he talks as if someone were up there. In the end, will this experiment turn up a favorable result or an unfavorable result? He then addresses the Broker and says this is quite a show.

 

Camera then jumps back to the party as Akashi asks what you guys will do since you're stuck now. Mokdai says you did get some new information, but it's also kind of vague. Barrel points out that Narihito is investigating things too, so it'd be best to get in touch with him to compare notes and see if he's turned anything up. You agree and hope he did find something, or you wonder what's up with Exio. C has Mokdai asking if you're okay as he's noticed you look a little pale.

 

A voice calls out to you guys, and the three thugs from before step out of the shadows and approach you, looking more severe than the first time you passed by them. Red asks Barrel why he was in Exio's store, but Barrel declines to answer saying it's confidential. Blue threatens to throw hands if he won't spill and brings up how you guys had tea and snacks, and he is so jelly about this. Barrel is dumbfounded to hear this.

 

Green points to you, which you are confused about. They demand to know what Exio whispered to you about because Exio never did that for him. They also demand to know what sort of relationship you have with him. You either protest that this is your first time meeting him, or you say it's a secret. In C, Red gets pissed while Akashi freaks out and tells you to stop poking at the nerves of weirdos.

 

The mobs focus their attention on Barrel being a cop again and ask if he came to arrest Exio. He denies it, baffled. Red declares he won't let you guys upend his place of rest and relaxation, at least until he tells Exio how he feels. Blue gets pissy and says Exio's love is HIS, and of course Green claims Exio for himself. The party is baffled as the thugs start glaring at each other now.

 

Mokdai points out how there's suddenly some internal conflict brewing, and Barrel calls it a tangle of blind love. Probably not too weird if you spend some time with Exio. Akashi however points out this is more a bunch of fans swinging at each other and guesses they've never actually talked to Exio before. Mokdai wonders how they even knew you had tea with Exio, at which point you remember something from before. Akashi asks if it was them when he felt someone watching him before (in a parlor that apparently takes up a whole top floor mind you), and Mokdai remembers him saying that. Akashi then asks Barrel to arrest the three stalker suspects. Barrel has reservations against it though he does admit stalking doesn't require being formally charged. You suggest just leaving since you can't stay.

 

Mokdai agrees with leaving since the thugs look like they might be at this for a while. You attempt to slip past, but the thugs return their attention to you guys and tell you to stop. They declare that they won't show mercy to anyone who'd keep them from seeing Exio, and they all thrust their arms out forward. They transform and tell you guys to get ready, and Akashi is surprised that they're villains. Barrel threatens to charge the gang with assault, but the mobs say you can't be a villain if you're afraid of the police. Mokdai freaks out a little as he tells you it's time to fight. You get ready and say this is annoying, but you guys should finish this quick. The episode battle then starts as the mobs yell about divine punishment.