Tvastar starts off with narrating things, and he begins by saying that
he remembered why he was so fixated on body modifications when he looked
at Cait Sith. He feels pain whenever he saw the weakness in others that
his beloved creations/children had before they died. It wasn't like
that in the beginning for him though as he says it was painful when his
children didn't pick a path because they were weak.
Tvastar talks about how you can see the sun or the moon in the sky if you look up, but he knows those won't last forever. Eventually the kalpa will end as the sun and moon are destroyed, and a world with nothing starts over again in the cycle of destruction and rebirth. You could compare it to the fall of an old dynasty followed by the rise of a new kingdom as the history of it all repeats for eternity. Fairies and devas like Tvastar all sought the eternity of the world through that cycle. But even in the middle of that eternity, time passes on. When something is lost, a price is paid to have something else fill its place. Everyone averts their eyes from this increasing price, and as similar things are brought in, the world continues as though nothing had happened.
Despite that, while some things may Look the Same to the World, Tvastar knew that they were different things. He made Vritra as a replacement for the weak child he had lost, as if to fill the huge gap of loneliness that had opened up. But while someone may think Vritra is a great replacement, Tvastar remembers that they were two different people. That is what people look away from. People are prone to believing that the same sort of happiness can continue for forever, and they are even more prone to that when they know that a utopia with no deaths or partings is an illusion.
But if the sun is always up, you will never know the kindness of the moon. Likewise, if the moon is always up, you will never know the warmth of the sun. If goodbyes are never a thing, then people will never know the happiness of a new meeting. Even if people understand this, they fear partings and come to believe that they will see people again. As such, people cling to the fantasy of endless reincarnation. As far as Tvastar knows, only one person has ever managed to let go of everything.
Tvastar starts holding a narrative conversation with Vritra, asking him/it if he knows who the person who once held the power over the primordial waters. That would be the first naga (re: dragon), Varuna. They were accompanied by the water beast Makara, and they once ruled all of Deva Loka. They gave countless powers away to others one by one, handed over faith, gave up even their passion in the end, and eventually disappeared from the world. Tvastar is thinking of them because of the way he is now, and he thinks about asking them what they felt were thinking about back then.
Title card pops up, and this chapter is just called Epilogue.
Camera then tunes in with the party over at the power spot spring, and the main trio jump into the water. You lead a countdown to jump in with some of the B-listers of the guild. Touji yells trying to stop you all and to explain that the misogi water purification ritual isn't a cold water bath, but splashing interrupts him. Ryouta immediately takes the time to take a picture, so Touji attempts to tell him off for that but coughs. Ryouta then expresses his amazement at seeing so many people here that he does and doesn't recognize, then asks if there were this many people participating in the festival. You note that there is a lot of people you know and consider going around greeting them when you take notice of some people in particular.
Krampus is enjoying the water purification ritual and says he should have forced Yule to come along. Tomte figures that Yule wants to avoid places that remind him of his homeworld, so it's probably impossible to drag him over. Personally, everywhere reminds Tomte of places he's used to see, and he's glad to have come with Krampus. That said, he thinks something is missing, which would be a sauna. He then decides to make a small cabin sauna there, but Krampus is taken aback as he tells him to not be so casual about that and asks if he's trying to make the festival into a sauna event.
To the side, Temujin and Sanat Kumara are hanging together as Temujin starts talking about how people are being lively, though things After the Festival are supposed to be different. When the end of things come, people become quiet and feel what loneliness is. He then talks about how propagation is when life gets exciting and burns bright, and since the idea of leaving the place empty-handed irritates him, he may as well go grab some people to join his ordo. Temujin then commands the people he refers to as the prey he's hunted to gather together, saying he'll give them as many of his arrows and children as they want. A bunch of mobs start fawning over how cool he is and ask him to hold (or perhaps sleep with) them.
Temujin throws his arms around his new groupies, then looks over to Sanat Kumara and snorts. He refers to him as the quiet, unsociable newcomer and suggests he stop sitting under a waterfall and start imitating their guild's style of doing things instead. What kind of Invader goes around and doesn't pillage anything? Temujin actually offers to teach Sanat how to hunt beasts and enjoy his spoils if he doesn't know how as he laughs. Sanat declines the offer saying it's unneeded for his way of life. Sanat then starts looking for Li Chou as he declares waterfall meditation and training is his way of youth and calls Li to join him. Temujin sighs at him and says he could try to mingle some more because he's otherwise acting like a terrible spy. But then something catches his attention. Gullinbursti turns up calling for you and apologizing for being late, except he doesn't see where you are and asks for your location. He does notice Temujin here and accuses him of trying to put his evil hands on you.
Jacob also happens to be around and he notices Tvastar and starts talking to him, commenting on the coincidence of meeting him here. Tvastar is also surprised to see Jacob here, and Jacob says he came over to wash off some of the dirt from his travels. Tvastar laughs and says Jacob never changes, which he likes. He calls Jacob a true vagabond who almost never goes home, which is what makes him different from himself and something that Tvastar admires. Jacob thanks Tvastar and notices that something seems different with him, so he asks about that. Tvastar seems bothered by that as he asks if that how it looks to Jacob. Jacob says he was just thinking about how Tvastar normally offers to replace his eyes every time they meet. Tvastar is quiet for a bit, then decides to excuse himself from the conversation saying he forgot that there was someone else he wanted to talk to. Jacob smiles and sends him off then.
Time passes a bit and Tvastar walks up to you, greeting you and asking if you'll spare him some of your time. You regard him for a moment but ask him to wait for you to tell your friends where you're going first. Tvastar agrees to the idea and assures you that he won't do anything frightening to you. He just has something he wants you to hear him out on.
Elsewhere in the area, Tetsuya is curious as he notices something, so Gyoubu asks him what's up since he's doing something with his knife. Tetsuya answers that he picked up on some sort of a reaction to someone who passed him by, a sort of shivering resonance. Tetsuya then stops himself and claims he was just imagining it. Suzuka comments how unusual it is for him to come all this way and jokes that he must be sick. Tetsuya snorts that he just came to see who was in control of the Minato festival, then says he'll always be hanging around Kabukicho, even if no one else is around.
Time skips a bit to you going over to talk to Tvastar. He starts commenting on how nice the breeze is and the scenery of other worlds. Whenever he goes to somewhere he's never been to before, he keeps thinking about the differences between it and his home world. Then he'll get weirdly nostalgic and start wanting to go back to somewhere. Tvastar then explains that's why he's always traveling; in the end he wants to go back somewhere. Kamata is his second home, and he's always revolving around it like a sun. He then asks if you get it and if you've ever felt that way. You ask if that's how it is and say you don't get it, but you do want to understand.
Tvastar goes aha as he says he does get the feeling that you're looking to the future. He's surprised when you tell him you don't have any memories of your past or of your family. He talks about understanding something and is about to say something else when he backtracks and says he's talking to himself and mentions feeling old. He comments that the recklessness of youth is so nice and bright, then laughs about whether that's something a sun should say. You point out how he's talking like an older man and point out that he's still a student, but you do get how he feels.
Tvastar brings up that he is a Transient, and that he's been around long enough that it'd be surprising to people. He's already brought a bunch of children/creations to life, and he wonders if he'd be one of those handsome student parents. You react in disbelief at that description, but then say you'd like to try that out before remembering that you already are like that.
Tvastar starts talking about how everyone is one of his beloved creations/children born from 'his womb' as he addresses Vritra. He created them, and they inherited bits of him. Even if it's not a blood relationship, important things are passed on. Vritra responds by opening his/its mouth, revealing the hollow interior within. Tvastar then starts talking about how you find someone important and irreplaceable to you, which leads to you becoming afraid of losing them, and people start wanting to return to the past from before they lose those people. He figures you don't have any experiences like that, but he asks if you do understand how that must feel. You think about the gang and the teachers, especially Mononobe as you either nod or stay silent.
Tvastar apologizes saying he didn't intend to scare you, but he admits it must sound weird from someone who's regularly asking people to let him modify them and freaking them out that way. You tell him you don't mind much since you weren't forced into anything, but you do agree that he was freaky for a bit. Tvastar is a little surprised but understanding that you'd say that. He then asks if you'll listen to him a bit more, even if it starts becoming rambling that's hard to get.
Tvastar talks about how as someone's parent, he wishes for all his children to be the way they wished to be. People might ask if that's really okay, but if that really is their own choice, then he thinks it's okay. And if they ever feel lost, Tvastar wants them to have that time to be lost without issue. He'll give whatever he can give, and he wants to tell them that it's still okay for them to be unsure of things. You either look at him questioningly or just say his name.
Tvastar also talks about wanting to be someone that his children can go back to. If you ever feel lost like that yourself and don't have anyone to cry to, then you can go cry into his womb. He's quick to say he's sure you must have tons of friends, but they can't be around you all the time. Tvastar says he thinks he'll always be at Kamata, even if everyone else leaves. It's his second home, so he's decided he'll always return there even if he wanders elsewhere. Go there if anything ever happens. It's partly his apologies for this event, and he says he could let you into the guild too if you want. Tvastar says that's all he wanted to tell you, so he excuses himself and says he'll see you later. You stand there for a moment before noting it's almost time to see Mononobe.
Scene shifts over to the festival area where some of the stalls are already starting on closing up and leaving, and it is the last bit of activity before the festival is truly over. Mononobe is taking a smoke as he waits at the place he said he'd be at, and he waves you over when he sees you. He thanks you for coming, then asks you what's wrong. You either stare at him, grab his hand, or hug him. C has one extra bit with Mononobe being surprised before merging back with B where he he laughs and compares you to a elementary school kid, then mirrors your gesture.
Anyways, Mononobe comments on you getting lonely and making a face, but such things happen. After all, you don't have any memories of your past or anyone from before you came to Shinjuku. He asks if you remember the day you transferred in, and he says he hoped Shinjuku Academy could be your new home. He wanted to always watch over you, but lately his body has been giving him trouble. He thought about how he needed to make time to make some memories with you. Mononobe suggests you guys look around as while it may be closing soon, it's not over just yet. If there's anything you want to eat, he'll treat you to some, so go ahead and tell him. You two then wander off, like you're treasuring the festival mood and regretting the passage of time.
After some time walking around the festival with Mononobe, you two head over to the power spot spring where he notes that the purification event thing everyone was doing is already over. But since you two are here and all, he suggests you guys do it too since he'd like to do the things you've done with everyone else. The water was warmer earlier when tons of people were around, but now that it's just you two it's much colder and lonesome.
Mononobe talks about how the loneliness that comes after a festival really cuts to the heart. He compares it to watching someone leave the school, and getting older means getting more susceptible to that feeling. You ask if that's true since you thought he'd be more used to that and must have seen lots of people go. Mononobe wonders if there were times when he thought about explaining himself more clearly about all the send offs he's seen. But he couldn't help it. Every time he sees you all finding some new possibility to show him, he got a bit happier.
With every send off he sees, he feels a bit sad. He starts remembering the times he spent one on one with all you guys. Mononobe tells you he's glad he's shared that feeling with you today. All that time he spent together with you guys at Shinjuku was time you've met someone who shared your laughs and tears. It's an important time where you become less and less alone, and it'll be a treasured memory that will support your feelings, which goes even for him. If today can be like one of those memories for you, then he'll be happier than anything.
Mononobe laughs a bit and asks about that face you're making, then decides to tell you his secret. That secret...is that he is way, way older than you. That means him saying goodbye to you first is just the natural way of things. You can react by either getting mad, laughing, or crying. Whichever way you go, Mononobe shows a moment of surprise, but then he smiles kindly, as if saying that's the first time he saw you act that way as the episode half ends.
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