When a human and oni love each other very much...or at least get together, they produce a person that is neither of the two races. As such these people live their lives looking for a place to belong and looking to blend into human society. They exorcise otherworldly beings lost in this world and send them back to the other world, and this is done to defend the world of humanity. Such is the job of exorcists and the role of the Sakimori who are defenders. They throw themselves into their work together with the security police so they can continue to pretend to be human. They take positions in Shinto and Buddhist shrines, wander through various schools, and hunt on as people ask them to. And that's how Touji's lived his life.
Times change though, and now otherworldly beings walk around in broad daylight in town. In resisting the changes that come with the passage of time, Touji has seen many partings, become alone, and seen many new meetings. As times changed, he's learned a new way of life he never had before. And he learned that he isn't the only one in the world who is different from everyone else as another such person stood by them. Touji has thought about wanting to protect the city, but it isn't a thought about him having to protect the city. But what else can he do besides exorcism to work towards that goal? What can he do to prevent a repeat of partings with his friends in Public Security? What path would make the best use of the connections he's formed and his specialties? And so Touji made his choice only he could make out of his own free will. Ever since he was young, he's watched the police work from the sidelines so he could better act like a human. He doesn't know if this choice is for the best, but it's the one he chose. And so, he'll live on and see it through.
Back to the present, you, Touji, and Alp are in the middle of running back to Ueno when Touji decides to talk to Alp. He's just gotten done with explaining why he transferred to Kioh Academy, and he says most people looking at the end result would figure it's something common. Choosing to become a police officer to protect someone isn't some mind blowing decision, but Touji says he can tell people all the worries and doubts he had to get to this point are all his. He picked this path, and now he's proud of it. He's still unaccustomed to his new uniform, and even he feels like it's more a costume than anything. But this is where everything starts, and this is where he sees his dream and makes a wish to become something.
Alp asks Touji if he's afraid of the idea that his decision would turn out to be wrong. Alp himself thinks about how frightening it is to chase after your dreams and make a decision. The most intimidating thing out there to him is getting hurt while pursuing your own desires. If it goes wrong, there's no one but yourself to blame. The idea of failure makes his feet falter. Touji however admits to Alp that is he is scared, but he isn't the only one afraid. And even if he is afraid, there are people there that makes him wish he could be like them. And there's someone who taught him that as long as he lives, he can just keep trying again, he says as he looks to you. Alp says he understands the part about wanting to be like another, and he thinks about a dream of someone's he ate once. It was so bright and beautiful that he admired it. He wanted to be like that, and he wanted people to admire him.
Scene jumps over to Ueno Academy, which is unable to begin its Halloween festival due to all the chaos going on. The students are doing their best to make it happen despite that, but the hands of the pranksters draws closer! Trickster Brown is confused and angry about Ueno's festival not being cancelled yet, so he resolves to get the thing shut down by playing more tricks. He leads some other mobs too, and they start by hitting and kicking candy vending machines to get stuff for free. He also calls for the ghosts sent by That Lady to start possessing the machines. Once they do so, they make the machines robospeak and spout the gang's catchphrase while dumping out the candy inside. Brown then leads the mobs on to cause more mayhem in the school.
Inside the school Ebisu freaks out about the vending machines moving around again, though he does mention that he thought he saw some sort of figure go inside the things. Hotei sighs about his schtick being stolen again and about copycats making life tough for the popular. He decides he should show off what vending machines can do himself as he changes into one and attempts to charge. He is bounced back for his troubles, and Ebisu calls after him in concern and bemoans the nonsense of it all. Jambavan is taken aback and asks in alarm how the machines are moving, but Ebisu asks that he not lampshade the crazy at the moment since they don't really know either. Azathoth just laughs about how rare it is to have a battle of the vending machines. Ebisu initially asks Azathoth to help out, but he decides against it since he thinks Azathoth will go overboard. He then loudly complains about having to be the sane man here when that's Benten's job, and his necklace whips its hand and yells "what the hell y'all" for good measure.
Brown takes a moment to brag about their handiwork before urging his group of mobs to keep going with the tricks. Fenrir dramatically gasps about spirits and miasma getting thicker at the school and asks what's happening. Azathoth changes the subject to ask why the Halloween event hasn't started you, suggesting you guys may as well do so if the mobs came to stop it. Leib says they're ready to go, but Alp as the announcer for the event's start isn't there yet. He then gets annoyed and worried about what you guys are doing on your side.
Brown urges the tricksters to keep going on and overthrow the old framework of what Halloween is, and Green says they'll become pro pranksters that'll make a new kind of Halloween. Red adds that what they did that morning was undecided too, and the mobs start tearing things down trying to get the commotion to spread outside the school.
Leib takes notice of the tricksters saying they'll become pro pranksters and asks if they're just imitators. He's appalled at the idea that they're just copying someone else and asks what the point in disrupting every school's Halloween event is. Azathoth cackles as per usual but comments things will be bad if they continue. When Leib asks him to explain, Azathoth brings up that Halloween was originally the day the dead came back to life. It might have been some fake stuff they did back in the day, but here in Tokyo there really are dead people who have revived, even natives. Some Transients are naturally like that too. Despite what he calls bonus stages being made for school credit, the way things are going the Flow of Faith will turn things into a zombie apocalypse. Also he adds that he's declining to reveal any more hints until everything's about to blow up. Leib doesn't quite get what Azathoth is saying, but he soon recognizes him as someone from Fushimi Academy. He then realizes what will happen if the situation continues as is and a supernatural Halloweens stops being just a school thing. In that situation, even the deceased natives may revive and throw the city into chaos.
Off to the side, Cu Sith is yelling for the kids to stop pulling on his tail, and despite how upset he's getting he reminds himself that he won't cry. The tricksters keep spouting their catchprase, but a voice yells out for them to stop. Ebisu and Hotei are surprised by this while the Beast Tamers are happy to hear Alp is back. Leib sighs not altogether displeased as he comments on Alp taking his sweet time, and Alp holds up his badge to play sentai police hero.
Once Alp changes outfits, he does a hero introductory speech about being the popular police guy here to protect the peace of Halloween and denounces the tricksters' actions. Red and Green recognize Alp from when they saw him that morning, and Brown says he's heard of him from his friends who went to Daikanyama. He declares the Halloween Police their biggest enemy and somehow thinks it's weird that you guys are over here too. Hotei is confused that they didn't realize the rest of the party here earlier was part of the Halloween Police too, so Ebisu remembers that they never got around to saying they were and figures the kids thought they were cosplaying.
You apologize to the other half of the party for being late or comment on Alp getting into things. Azathoth laughs about how good your timing is, then prompts you to get changed too. Leib prompts Alp to do his thing, saying everyone was waiting for his signal. Cu Sith says it's almost time to get the festival started and it's the organizer's job to get that rolling. Alp makes a public address as he officially starts Ueno's Halloween Festival, asking everyone to join him in saying Happy Halloween.
The tricksters join in as well and seem excited about it until Brown remembers they came to stop the thing. Alp says it's already started, then tells the mobs to stop with their over-the-line tricks and have fun with everyone instead. Alp also mentions feeling like he's gotten a look at one way he'd like to be, a hip hop police officer that protects his friends and Halloween.
Brown is taken aback as he argues there's nothing wrong with playing tricks on Halloween, looking to his cohorts for backup. Red, Green, and the possessed vending machines all agree, but Alp asks if that's really what they want to do this Halloween. The question hits home, but Brown tries to claim anyway that it is. Alp says it looks to him that they're pretending to do what they want, but they're actually doing this against their will because they have no other choice. Brown gulps as he asks how Alp knew, so Alp says it's because he shared their feelings before. Alp says Halloween is a lot more fun and swears to show that to them, so you either tell Alp it's time to go, say it's time to show them what the Halloween Police are like, or tell him to show how cool he is. Alp answers affirmatively as he says he'll show his best hip hop dance, and the episode battle begins. More comes afterwards.
Things tune back in at after the battle where Ebisu expresses his amazement at Alp's dance and Brown seems horrified at his actions. Alp assures Brown that it's okay because he's the same, so when Brown starts asking what he means Alp says he now understands from before when he danced with the others and destroyed the festival set up. Back then he was too worried about himself and never spared a thought for the other children, but were they also afraid of having done something they couldn't take back?
Alp asks if the tricksters were afraid and ready to cry, which led to them running off. The mobs don't answer but seem upset at the question, so Alp assures them it's fine and says he'll apologize with them. And since Halloween is a special day, Alp invites them to see a new dream with him as he casts his NP. This causes dreams and reality to switch, materializing the tricksters' dreams. They gasp and stop as they see a vision of their dreams, which is each of them enjoying the holiday in their own ways. It's what they wanted to do, but they did something more terrible than they thought, and now they're lost as to what to do. The mobs all start crying and apologizing for breaking things and running away that morning, and Ebisu is surprised even the vending machines are joining in on that. Off to the side, Hotei thinks to himself about his attention being drawn to the dreams and reality thing despite not understanding it. He wonders if the dream he saw before is the cause of this.
Some time later, the tricksters admit to being the ones to call the police and suggest canceling the Halloween festivals, thinking maybe it'd be fine if there wasn't Halloween. Red says they were doubtful about it the entire time though, and the worries were weighing on them. Alp says they're good kids for being able to say that, and he compliments them for being more mature than he is as he gives them special Halloween pandayaki.
The mobs seem touched by Alp's gesture, and Alp says he ran away too, but he came back after being talked to by his friends. The mobs seem to want to say something at that point, but Alp smiles and stops them, saying they aren't alone and offers to apologize with them. They nod, so Alp lines up with them and loudly apologizes all together. They bow like polite Japanese norms dictate, and everyone else hands them candy saying Trick or Treat to start Ueno's Halloween festival. And so the event kicks off with a bout of laughs.
Time passes, and some alchemist is hawking special pumpkin pandayaki. Jambavan says there's also tea available for anyone who wants any. Fenrir snorts about someone wanting him to play a trick as he calls himself a cursed wolf stained in darkness, then says it's him who wants tricks to be played as he prompts people to eat. Cu Sith and Alp play at trick or treating, with the former saying he'll eat anyone who doesn't give him candy and the later challenging people to a dance battle in the same case. Whoever they're talking to starts tickling them instead.
You comment on things getting lively and say it's better after all for Halloween to be filled with smiles. Leib comes over and thanks you guys for your work, Halloween Police or whatever. As thanks for that and for taking care of Alp, he says you guys should enjoy the festival and volunteers Jambavan to serve you guys over his protests. Ebisu says he's having a lot of fun and notes things are different here than with Yoyogi, with a lot of body contact and Hotei saying all the soft fur is nice. Leib notes that Alp's plan is a big hit and says he's done great to satisfy people.
Touji comes over and notes that things have gone off without a hitch, saying he reported it in that things are fine. You thank Touji for what he's done and ask if it was hard. He starts to answer no and that this is just his job, but then Alp interrupts by throwing himself at you guys. This does knock you off your feet, but it doesn't actually hurt you as you start to enjoy how soft Alp's fur and/or costume is. Touji protests against Alp jumping at people, but when Alp starts profusely thanking you guys for helping him get the festival open Touji lets it drop and says he's done something like a police officer now. He then tells Alp to stick with either crying or laughing as he looks away, gently patting Alp on the head.
Some time later, Touji mentions to you guys that a bunch of vending machines have fallen over nearby. With so many guests around it would be dangerous to leave them like that, but there's also the machines being heavy to consider too. Leib says it's not a problem as they can ask people who specialize in moving heavy objects. Ebisu starts to ask who he means, but some ghosts come by acting professionally asking if the machines are the things they're supposed to move, then proceed to possess the things. Once inside, they play at robospeak asking people to make way as they move them elsewhere.
Ebisu is surprised at the idea that the machines moved by being possessed by ghosts, and Alp is dumbfounded as he realizes there's no way vending machines could move on their own. The idea gives you some thoughts as everyone starts looking at Hotei who is in the middle of eating a crepe. Once he notices, he laughs the idea off saying his vending machine gag isn't anything like that. Ebisu agrees and asks if he's using some other kind of trick, and Hotei says yes as he laughs.
Upon further reflection says he never realized it himself and suggests that he's like a spirit too. The party is baffled silent until you ask if he's serious, and soon after everyone reacts in shock. Harlot walks up at this point to comment on how fun Ueno's Halloween festival is now that she's come to check it out, and you turn to look at her when you recognize her voice.
Harlot greets you, then asks why you have such a serious look on her face. You ask Harlot about the ghosts with her, so she laughs at first and asks if you remember that she's a kind woman towards dead children. Is it really so odd for her to walk around with deceased, pitiful children? She sighs about how she wants to make a world where they can walk around freely. And elsewhere (I guess), Azathoth starts ranting about people pretending to be things. Stuff like humans, policemen, vending machines, friends, and diabolical masterminds. Everything is spinning and turning, swirling in chaos. It's almost time for things to shoot straight for the bad ending, and the episode ends with Azathoth cackling as he wonders how things will go.
Ruh Roh!
ReplyDelete