Halloween Police Episode 2 Part 1

We start off with Hotei sleeptalking and asking someone to not wake him up. He wakes up of course wondering where he is, noting that the place he's in is both familiar and not. He tries calling out to see if anyone is around, and when he hears a voice he decides to walk over towards it.

Hotei eventually wanders over to find a shadow bemoaning and muttering something to itself, calling itself a (Buddhist?) monk who's done something foolish and shameless. He doesn't remember how much charity he's received anymore, and he doesn't care anymore about how many favors he repaid with spite. He laments how big and heavy his bag has gotten.

Hotei doesn't seem to hear anything the shadow monk is talking about as he casually asks what it's doing there all alone. He offers to hear it out, but the monk ignores him as he says he just wanted to repay the favors done for him and return the kindness people have shown him. So many people have been good to him, even when they were poor and suffering themselves. Hotei nods about how nice it is for people to show you kindness, but the monk shadow continues on saying he wanted to save people no matter what, even if his body were to rot away. Hotei is a little put off by how the conversation isn't really a conversation, but he comments that they must have some sort of fate together to meet like this and asks for the monk's name. The monk talks about how people came to him seeking help, and everyone called him ___, the wanderer who holds mercy and gratitude in his bag.

Hotei wakes up for real this time, complaining loudly first about how he couldn't hear the part that was important, and then about how he was dreaming after all. He then decides to stop thinking about it for now and plops back down to sleep again. Ebisu runs into the room having heard the noise and asks in concern if Hotei was having a nightmare, but he comes in to find Hotei sleeptalking about someone being bad at being the straight man. Ebisu is relieved it’s nothing serious as he laughs and sighs about Hotei catching a cold if he leaves his stomach exposed.

Ebisu starts thinking back to his time on the Treasure Ship, where he, Benten, Bishamon, Hotei, and the other Lucky Gods toured around various worlds. They all originally came from different places and different faiths, but they just happened to get together to form a crew to go on a gig of sorts. So of course, there were times where they split off into smaller groups rather than go as a whole group of seven. For example, sometimes Fukurokuju and Juroujin would pair up as the South Pole☆Combination and Bishamon would work elsewhere as part of Team Four Heavenly Kings. The members are replaceable, so it can be similar to big name Japanese idol groups. The essence of that stays the same with Benten and her new improv band the Viral Dreamers.

Ebisu talks to himself about how he's paired off with Daikoku a lot, but he realizes while thinking on the subject that he can't remember why he paired with him. He gets the feeling that it has to do with some kind of fate, but when he tries to remember about things from that period of time, he has holes in his memories here and there. Ebisu just can't think of it, but he decides it must be because it was so long ago. He then remembers he was in the middle of thinking through his new dish when he came to investigate some noise, so he returns back to the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen area, Ebisu sits back down and thinks about what Durga had said to him before he left Yoyogi earlier. A flashback plays of Durga's comments, and after that's done Ebisu comments to himself that the presentation must be lacking. His regular work as a cook has already reminded him of it, but he's lacking in a lot of things. Plenty of people tell him his food tastes great, but it just seems to be missing something appearance-wise. Ebisu wonders what he can do about his shortcomings, and he takes a bite of his sausage wrap. It's a decent mix of sweet and salty that spreads across his tongue, a taste even he believes is good. Ebisu then wonders aloud what he's missing, thinking of taste, texture, scent, appearance, or simplicity among other things. He decides that just worrying about it won't get him anywhere, so he moves to make a few different patterns. Not long after he gets up though, he starts getting drowsy and falls asleep.

Ebisu then tunes into Azathoth's mental realm or whatever and freaks out, asking where he is since he was just in the kitchen. The place is described as filled with the scent of death, a lonely isolated place that could be described as the edge of the world. Ebisu then comments in surprise that the place seems familiar somehow, like there's a sort of loneliness to it he's felt something similar to.

Azathoth floats on over or whatever jokingly welcoming Ebisu to his dream. Ebisu is remarkably calm and casual as he greets Azathoth, telling him it's dangerous to be walking around outside so late. Azathoth chides him to act more surprised as he laughs, so Ebisu apologizes and asks him to go on. Azathoth comments on Ebisu being used to things and says he was going to make a dramatic show of things, but he decides to just dispense with it and say "I present this to thee."

Azathoth tosses over some warped polyhedral necklace at Ebisu. Upon closer inspection there looks to be some sort of dark hand inside it squirming and wriggling around like it's trying to invite someone in. The necklace feels like it's made of the darkness itself, like the opposite of the shining sky. Ebisu asks Azathoth about the necklace, saying it looks pretty but also ominous. Azathoth says he can't be bothered to play tutorial for him, but he does tell him to learn how to use items and equip the thing as he calls it rare, important, and something he can't throw away. He also decides to make a sound effect with his mouth since this is like one of those Dragon Quest cursed items you can't take off.

Ebisu freaks out and tries to ask Azathoth to let him back out of taking the thing, but Azathoth tries talking him into taking it since he thought he was familiar with the necklace. Ebisu tries to protest, but upon looking at the "hand" or whatever closely, he ends up speaking the words Ama no Sakate (Heavenly Reverse Clapping) without thinking about it, words he shouldn't have known. Azathoth cackles and says he knows nothing, then asks if that's what Ebisu internally calls the thing. Ebisu however doesn't seem to be aware of what he said and attempts to ask Azathoth for an explanation. Azathoth opts to peace out having said what he wanted to say, leaving Ebisu to wake up long enough to yell about it all being a dream before falling asleep once again.

Title card pops up, and this episode is called A Strong Enemy Appears! We are the Halloween Bad Brats Brigade!

It is now the day after the Halloween training meeting and we tune in to just before noon as we leave the school stuff to our classmates to go visit a certain little eatery. Specifically, the little restaurant Ebisu lives in and works at that has a decent base of regulars. You call out good morning, saying you came to pick Ebisu up and can smell food being heated up. Ebisu calls back to you from inside, asking you to wait as he comes out. Once he does get outside, Ebisu greets you good morning, though he wonders if he should be saying good afternoon given what time it is. He just got lunch done though, and he waves you in saying he made some for you too.

Once you enter the restaurant, Hotei is there in his vending machine getup speaking robo-speak at you about how food gives you energy and how you guys should do your best today too. He also robospeaks about how good miso soup is. You either express surprise at a vending machine drinking miso soup, or you casually greet Hotei. In the former (AB), Hotei keeps the robo-speak up as he laughs about you being surprised and says drinking soup like that is hard, man. In the latter (C), Hotei complains about you ignoring all the work he put into this to get a reaction. Either way, Hotei takes off the disguise and actually greets you before saying he'll go ahead and eat. Ebisu sighs about how Hotei finally took his getup off, saying he was waiting all day for a reaction before he'd take it off. But never mind that, it's time for Ebisu's limited time daily special!

Time skips to after the meal where Hotei thanks Ebisu for the food and says it's been a while since he had such a luxurious meal. He then starts bugging Ebisu for tea, who gets reminded of something first but passes the tea over warning him it's hot. You ask Hotei why he chooses to dress up as a vending machine, so Hotei starts ranting about how vending machines are things he's never seen before that can do anything. Pick whatever you like and it'll give it to you, and that makes it a present day grab bag that suits him perfectly! Okay so you do need money for it to work since nothing is free in life, but whatever. Hotei then gets to his tea and promptly burns himself.

You say you sort do and don't get what he's getting at, but you do see how into it he is. Hotei says it's more of an inspiration, which is good enough for an explanation. He then changes the subject to ask Ebisu for some dessert. Ebisu says giving blessings is something that fits Hotei, then asks if matcha tea ice cream is okay. Hotei thanks him and takes it, then asks Ebisu if he finished the thing he asked him for before they leave. Ebisu confirms, noting he's talking about the Halloween sweets he managed to finish in time. He does give a little awkward laugh as he wonders if you guys can carry it out though.

Ebisu takes a moment to bring out a carryout box filled with his handmade sweets meant to stop children from playing tricks. Hotei is shocked at how big the box is, saying the thing practically reaches the ceiling as he rubs Ebisu's stomach. Ebisu is embarrassed about making too many since he got into things making Western sweets after so long, then finally processes the stomach rubbing and gets mad about it. It's him that did all that work, not his stomach, thank you.

You wonder aloud how you'll take the box along, say this is about as much as a wholesaler's, or suggest not taking everything with you. Ebisu says he did his best to make it all stuff that can last for some time, so he starts suggesting just carrying out what you guys can actually carry. Hotei however steps up to say it's time for his bag to be put to use, surprising Ebisu. Hotei says he'll put all the sweets into his bag, and you are surprised as he proceeds to do just that.

Hotei gets smug as he fishes for compliments and shows off his bag, and Ebisu is taken aback at how forceful he is. Hotei explains his bag has the ability to store anything regardless of its size and weight. You are either impressed, surprised as you ask if that's actually a thing, or shocked as you ask if it's like a certain someone ignoring physics the same way. Hotei goes on to say that things stay the same freshness they went in with, but the bag itself is still as soft and springy as it looks. It's also comfy to sleep on no matter where you are, and every household should have one. Prices to come after the commercial! You either note that Hotei pulled out police uniforms out of the bag or point out that the bag must be expensive. If you go with the latter, Hotei starts saying you can get a good deal if you act now before he stops himself from getting swept up into things, saying it's not actually for sale.

Anyways, Hotei shrugs as he says he doesn't really know how his artifact works, but it's the only one he has. Ebisu is surprised at this comment, but Hotei prompts you guys that it's time to go before you're all late. You get a message from Touji at this point which you are curious about, and Hotei starts calling him a stuffy frowny police dude. He's so conscientious to contact you guys even though you'll be meeting soon, Hotei laughs. The episode part then ends as Ebisu talks to himself how odd it is for Hotei to say he only has his bag artifact since he had more when they were on the treasure ship.