Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Valentine Colosseo Episode 1 Part 1

Kengo starts narrating as he talks about having a question he's stalled on getting around to answering. The question pertains to his relationship to you. In the end, what exactly does he think of you? When it comes to liking or hating you, he's pretty sure he doesn't hate you. But what does liking you mean? What's he think of Shirou? Hate? Not like? And what about other people? Is there some sort of difference when it comes to liking? He doesn't know as his head isn't used for complicated questions like that. All he has going for him is physical strength. He has nowhere near the level of smarts or calmness that Shirou does. As such, all he can do is to focus on the one thing he has. He wants to show that he's the strongest of anyone around. Then he'll get the one answer he can have waiting for him, something he can say to his partner with confidence. But in that case, why did he procrastinate on all this then? Maybe somewhere in his heart, he always believed that his time with you would go on for forever.
 
Title card pops up, and this chapter is called Valentine's Street Fight.
 
The story then tunes in at Ikebukuro in front of Ikebukuro Station, where various stores are lined up and myriad people are out and about. There by the western station entrance is the theater/entryway to the underground fight ring, and in the backstreets of Ikebukuro are the alleyways where street fights are held. This is the day that the Valentine Colosseo that Claude is organizing is to be held, and all Claude has told anyone regarding its location is Ikebukuro. With no clear directions, everyone hoping to participate is wandering around until the clock hits starting time. Over in Eastern Ikebukuro Sanchome is a super tall building, the building that used to be known as the tallest one in Tokyo. This building can still be seen today from far away, looking down on the city. It's over there where you and Kengo are walking around, wandering aimlessly waiting for some sort of sign to show up.
 
Kengo starts talking about how much he ate at the restaurant the two of you were at, saying that Ryouta's recommendation was on point. But still he's frustrated at the lack of communication as he notes some other people wandering around looking lost about the event as well. You note that it's almost time for the event to start and that there's a ton of people joining in, or you can comment on how slow lunch was. C prompts an extra line where Kengo comments on how carefree you are and says that you might need more of a sense of danger.
 
Anyways, Kengo complains about how Claude and Snow haven't called you guys and how the other Berserkers are keeping mum. He's so bored that he's getting restless, so he decides he may as well boot up the app and look for a quick matchup to blow off some steam. You call him rash but sympathize, or you tell him he can't do something before the appointed time starts. Kengo isn't really interested in listening and complains that someone has to be around who's thinking the same thing, and he accesses the expansion function that can be used only in the Berserkers territory for the event to look at the public message set by someone he found. Said message is "I will gladly take on any challengers! That! Is my! YOUTH!!!"
 
Kengo is baffled at this message and ignores the youth bit to say this guy seems fickle to him somehow. You comment that that reminds you of someone, wonder if this person is nearby, and say you'd like to see them but aren't interested in battling at the moment. The two of you then continue walking down the street at try searching for this person. You two eventually find Fergus, who is looking at a certain place with a strange expression on his face. Kengo reacts with surprise at seeing him. Fergus does so as well when he catches onto you two looking at him, then takes big strides walking over as he raises his hand.
 
Fergus greets the two of you good morning and shoehorning a gratuitous 'youth!' before asking if you guys are looking for him. Kengo comments on how odd a greeting this is, then points out that it's midday as he asks if Fergus is in show biz. Fergus just laughs it off and says that his greeting for the springtime of youth is always 'good morning.' You can say good night at any time, but this is the only time you can say good morning! Kengo is further baffled by Fergus, and you start saying this impression reminds you of someone, though in the complete opposite way as the game flashes Wakan Tanka's silhouette behind Fergus.
 
Fergus pushes on ahead to say that he wanted to see you guys in this life and sighs about how glad he is that this happened on Valentines. Such is youth! Kengo asks Fergus if he's talking about him or you when he says he wanted to see you guys, so Fergus answers he means both as he reveals he knows Kengo as a former Ranker. He remembers passing by him one time and says he could never forget his roaring fists of thunder. Kengo is slightly flattered and thanks him despite not really knowing what he's talking about.
 
Fergus then turns to you, looking you over with a sincere light in his eyes as if visually confirming who you are. He brings up meeting eyes with you in the underground arena, though he's seen you before then too. Specifically he means the kendo dojo where he heard your name from Shuuichi and Moritaka as he calls you by your (full if applicable) name. Then he smiles a smile filled with wild instincts. You comment on his direct eyes or his wild personality slightly taken aback, or you say he's so your type. C gets an extra line where Fergus laughs and suggests the two of you sword fight right away.
 
In any case, Kengo takes issue with Fergus acting so chummy with you so suddenly. Fergus is surprised and asks what Kengo means by suddenly since this is how he always is, man. The signs of a goodbye are always hanging above his head, so he argues that now is always the best time to convey what's important to you in a straightforward manner. Sure it could fail to work out, but what kind of youth are you having if you don't act on your feelings and passions? Kengo is thrown off by this, and Fergus decides it's time to reintroduce himself as mac Roich and says he's a kendo student going to Bukuro Academy. Call him Mac or Mac Roich (or with or without an honorific), either is fine. Nice to meet youth! You politely greet Fergus back or mirror his 'nice to meet youth' back at him. C shocks Kengo into telling you not to start doing that too so fast.
 
Either way Fergus approves of your attitude. Kengo changes the subject to ask Fergus why he was staring at the sky. Fergus answers that he was actually looking at the building and thinking about how there are buildings that tall around. Kengo doesn't think it's that interesting, but he grants that it's still big for Tokyo. Fergus admits to finding one other thing about that building of interest. Claude hasn't said anything about it yet, but Fergus has heard that the roof of that building is going to be used as part of the event at some point. He couldn't stop himself from wondering as to why that was, and he says he's feeling a premonition about something occurring there. Just like...something that he cuts off on as some thought occurs to him in sad surprise as he starts looking at you.
 
You try to ask Fergus what's wrong, and he starts to answer when some beeping cuts him off. Kengo asks what's going on for his phone, yours, and probably Fergus's to start going off like that. Fergus points out that everyone else who seems to be participating also has there phones ringing, and when you look you realize you're getting a video call. Kengo and Fergus exclaim that it's coming from Claude.
 
Claude starts his phone call by asking if everyone participating in the event can hear him, then thanks everyone for joining. He starts off with the formalities by giving his name and stating his position as Bukuro Academy headmaster as well as the organizer and head of the Ikebukuro Valentine event as he laughs. Kengo is unimpressed at Claude for rattling off his titles like so, and Claude explains that this video call is only receivable in Ikebukuro through the app's expansion function. If you leave the city, you can't participate in the event, so be careful about that.
 
Claude starts instructing everyone to take a picture of their unique chocolates through the app, which will register it to the app and act as everyone's formal entrance to participation. The rules of the event are simple: be the last one still hanging onto your chocolate. It's fine if you give it to your special someone somewhere along the way, but Claude promises that there'll be a reward if you hold off on that for a bit. Also, try not to let your chocolate get stolen. You either comment on how complicated this is, say it'll be fine to just take a picture of your chocolate, or prompt Kengo and Fergus to say cheese. In A and B, Kengo handles picture taking easily enough while Fergus has big fat fingers and struggles to accomplish the same as he accidentally reverses his camera feed. In C, Kengo and Fergus smile for the camera before Kengo tells you to stop since it's the chocolates you guys should be taking a pic of.
 
Snow steps up to explain the first stage of the event, though he notes that using Ikebukuro Station as the center point, more people than expected have entered the event. You take note of this after a moment, and Snow says that normally everyone would be instructed on where to go from here. Problem is, there isn't enough to have everyone at the designated location. A bunch of randos start getting a bad feeling about this before Snow apologizes for the abrupt change as he declares it's time for the Chocolate Stealing Rank Battle. Time for Stage 1, the Valentine Street Fight! All participants react with shock at this.
 
Snow sighs over how even all their space for the underground arena can't hope to fit everyone down there. Claude says he's not looking down on Valentine's, but he comments on how crazy it can be. You wonder how many people actually showed up for this or express amazement at Valentine's. But anyways, Snow tells everyone that the app's extended map function shows the position of everyone participating, which he explains is linked to everyone's chocolate. If you lose yours, you stop showing up on the map. If you take pictures of someone else's chocolate and collect it, you'll get points. These points are important for this stage, and you can check the info board at any time.
 
Kengo asks if this is just a fight for all those chocolates, then turns to you and says this is easy to understand. Snow continues explaining that there's no restrictions as to how you get those chocolates. You can talk people into giving you their chocolates, you can fight people for them, whatever. He does ask that people treat these chocolates with care since these were meant to be given to someone important to their owners, and Fergus nods at this as he agrees. Snow mentions that the chocolate is the most important part here, so if you happen to lose a fight it's not necessarily binding. Running is always an option, but for the record a chocolate from a nonparticipant does not count for this event. No collateral damage, even if this is the city where people just accept that street fights happen here. Claude then wishes everyone good luck as he announces the beginning of the event and ends the call.
 
Once the video call ends, fireworks are set off despite it being midday. Fergus says this could be either a solo setup or a team setup if you want, and he approves of it being different from a kendo match. Fergus then asks if you two are interested in teaming up with him, but he gets cut off by the app announcing that a battle area is forming. You are surprised by this and asks who's starting it, so Kengo apologizes and says he wants to fight Fergus. He asks if Fergus feels the same way, and Fergus stands there in silent surprise.
 
Kengo talks about being interested in Fergus's battle skills ever since he met him. Fergus laughs at this and says he'll face him anytime he wants if he wants to cross swords with him. It doesn't matter to him if it's with a war buddy friend or with a lover or mistress, and he says his way of life is to draw his sword first and think later. You sigh and say you expected as much and ask for them not to beat on each other too hard. Fergus then asks if you two will both be fighting him, which he's fine with. Kengo however challenges the two of you to come at him instead, which you react to with shock and surprise.
 
Fergus is intrigued by this suggestion, and Kengo says he's not tempted by his offer or anything, but this time he has something he needs to find an answer to. He intends to be the strongest person here in Tokyo, so he ought to be able to take you two on at once at least. Plus he lost to you once as he refers to you as partner first before referring to you by name. He wants to find the answer to that one vague feeling he got from back then, and he challenges you two to battle as the episode battle begins.
 

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