Furlong (narrating): I was never brave enough. 15 years ago my home city on my home planet was destroyed by Monsters. Everything was on fire, including my home. I lived high up in an apartment building and the entrance started burning. By the time we noticed, the windows were the only escape. I may be fire-resistant but I wasn't fire-immune.
Neighbor: Jump!
Furlong (narrating): A bunch of people were holding those firefighter landing sheets and telling me to jump.
Furlong: (panic noises)
Furlong (narrating): Did I mention I lived high up? That was scary.
Furlong's Little Brother: Bro help me!
Furlong (narrating): I heard my brother inside the apartment, and I was the only one who could help him. But...
Neighbor: Furlong, jump now!
Furlong's Little Brother: NO BIG BROTHER DON'T LEAVE ME
Furlong: (panic intensifies)
Furlong (narrating): I had to get away, and I had to save him. But I couldn't bring myself to do either...somebody help me.
Firefighter Hero: I AM HERE TO HELP!
Furlong (narrating): That's when a firefighter hero came to help. His courage was brilliant, and he saved us. We survived, but...
*Later*
Doctor: ...I'm sorry, your brother Alkyl has developed a disability.
Furlong: W-what...?
Furlong (narrating): My brother suffered heavy damage because help came late. The fire burned down our home and the legs of my little brother who loved to run (and maybe his hands too). If I were braver, this might not have happened. So I wanted to be brave, a brave firefighter hero like the one who saved us. I wanted to save tons of lives. I'm normally a coward, so right now I'm just deluding myself, but I keep at playing as the brave Burn Striker hoping that one day I stop acting and start being that way for real.
Title card: For Someone Else
Present
Furlong: Here I go!
Furlong kicks off the ground, does seven forward aerial rolls, twists around, then lands on the ground with his arms spread wide.
Furlong: Yeah!
MC: Awesome!
Furlong: T-thank you...ehehe...
The troupe members are also applauding him.
Yasuhiko: Amazing! Even our own acrobats needed more time to get that down!
Yellow: Yeah I wasn't expecting you to figure it out so fast.
Green: You moved great up there. Do you do any other training besides your fireman drills?
Furlong: Umm...I also do training at UEHA's training hall. I guess UEHA's training is how I got to where I am today. It also kinda traumatized me and now I wanna cry at the thought of it...
MC: what do they make you do / I think Barrel said stuff about that place too...
Purple: Hey Boss, maybe Furlong can pull that thing off?
Yasuhiko: Huh? Well I guess, but it's still kinda risky for a beginner. Then again he's doing great in practice so he should be able to do it.
Furlong: Um, what?
Yasuhiko: That.
Yasuhiko points at a giant trampoline that has scaffolding built on both sides with a rope bridge connecting them.
Yasuhiko: Have you ever seen that act where people jump on a trampoline and do acrobatic tricks? Try doing them on that.
MC: Oh yeah that!
Furlong: OH NO
Melide: F-Furlong? Are you...scared?
Furlong: Urgh... (balls up his fists) I'll do it!
Yasuhiko: R-really? You could try something else if you're against it...
Furlong: I-I'm okay! You said you trust me and everything...! And...I don't want to run!
Yasuhiko: What?
Furlong: NOTHING
Yasuhiko: O-oh, okay. Well, give it a try and just see how it goes. And since it's higher than before, try seeing how much higher you go in hero mode.
Furlong: I can do this, I can do this!
Furlong: I'm fired up! MC, transform me please!
MC: O-okay! It IS okay right!?
Furlong: Hero mode on! Here we go!
Furlong jumps onto the trampoline, and each bounce makes his firefighter equipment jangle as he jumps higher and higher.
Furlong: I'm okay, I can do this!
Furlong clamps his mouth down and jumps harder.
Yasuhiko: Okay, it's going good! Try using your knees more! Then try somersaulting when you're used to it!
Furlong: Okay!
Furlong jumps even higher as instructed, almost high enough to reach the rope connecting the platforms.
Yasuhiko: Wow, that's high!
Furlong: What? AH!
Furlong looked down. Flashback triggered!
Neighbor: JUMP
*Present*
Furlong: N-no, no! (detransforms)
MC: Furlong!
Furlong: AAAAHH
Yasuhiko: No, Furlong!
Furlong: AAHHHH (faceplants onto trampoline)
Melide: Furlong!
MC: Furlong!!
Green: OMG MEDIC
Yellow: He's still awake. Hey, you okay!? Does it hurt anywhere!?
Furlong: Ow...
Later, Yatomi Circus green room
Furlong: ...sorry. I'm okay now. (gets up out of bed and walks over to a chair to sit down)
MC: You sure?
Furlong: Yes, it was just a light impact, no sprains. I'm pretty tough.
Totally Not Vulpecula: Honestly, it's unusual to fall that high and get off so lightly. Just in case, you should keep putting an ice pack on where you fell. Maybe you should stop practice for the day and rest like Yasuhiko suggested.
Furlong: ...I'm sorry. Thank you.Vulpecula Johann nods and leaves.
Only MC and a depressed looking Furlong are left in the room. Awkwardness ensues.
MC: ...hey Furlong?
Furlong: ...oh, yes?
MC: Why do you keep telling yourself you can do it? Why'd your suit cancel out?
Furlong: W-well... (hangs head further)
Furlong: ...I wanted to be someone mentally stronger. So I transform for my own sake.
MC: What?
Furlong: I transform so I can pretend to be someone with a stronger heart. So when I couldn't keep it up, my transformation fell apart, I think... Looking down from somewhere high reminds me of something in the past.
Furlong: My old home was caught in a huge fire and the windows were the only way out. I couldn't jump. I wanted to save my brother stuck inside, but I couldn't move. A firefighter hero saved us in the end, but my brother ended up with permanent damage. He was bright and talkative, but he stopped saying anything since then. I lost how my brother used to be and our old home.
MC: Oh...
Furlong: I've always liked watching plays, so I was confident I could act. So I wanted to be like that brave firefighter hero. I'm just pretending to be one too, but I hope I can be one for real someday. I want to stop being a coward, so I transform for my own sake. (stares at his hands as he opens and closes them)
Furlong: I tried the trampoline because I didn't want to give up out of fear. But I also wanted Yasuhiko to care more about what his family gave him. I'd do anything if that would help with that, so I accepted his request. (looks up at MC with a fiery look in his eyes)
Furlong: Yasuhiko got this circus and his heirloom from his family. But he only cares about the circus and is fine with losing the rest. That...feels like a waste. There are people and things you can't get back even if you want to. So I want him to treasure them more and avoid having him sell it off.
MC: What? Were you listening to us?
Furlong: ...oops. Sorry. I heard what you and Yasuhiko were talking about. I know I'm sticking my nose into things, but...
Furlong looks down again and tears up.
MC: ...you don't want to give up even if you're afraid, right?
Furlong: ...yes. I don't want to run, and I don't want Yasuhiko to throw his family away. But I'm not sure what to do. How do I act as a performer when my transformation I did for myself fell apart?
MC: How about transforming for someone else's sake?
Furlong: What?
MC: Like for Yasuhiko, or the audience.
Furlong: So...transform for the people I want to save?
surprisedpikachu.jpg
Furlong: ...I see. I never thought about things besides changing myself.
Furlong looks serious, but not grimly resolved as he thinks to himself. He looks up later when he thinks of something.
Furlong: MC, I want to try something. Would you come with me to my training?
Beep beep
Phone: New Path detected. Subject: Burn Striker Connectivity: Average
MC: !!
Later
Yasuhiko: Wait what you want to pick back up on the training? But you just fell like a rock! I can't let you go on the trampoline agai--
Furlong: Please. I don't hurt anymore, and this time I've made my heart ready for this.
Yasuhiko: What???
Furlong: Oh, nothing. Anyways I'm fine. I talked with MC about it.
MC: Please? I'm not really up for this but he seems determined.
Yasuhiko: Umm... (thinks)
Melide: Hmm? I sense something.
Yasuhiko: ...okay fine, if you insist.
Purple: BRO WHAT?
Yasuhiko: I said what I said. We don't really know how Furlong perceives pain, and we don't really know how determined he is. So I guess we just have to decide based on what he says about them.
Purple: I guess...
Yasuhiko: (looks at Furlong) That said, I still can't just let you back on the trampoline right away. We're gonna do a warm up battle like before. Melide, transform me and the troupe.
Melide: ...'kay.
Melide does so.
Yasuhiko: Your turn, Furlong.
Furlong: ...understood. I'll succeed this time. This time, I'll do it for Yasuhiko and the visitors!
Furlong: Alright, I'm fired up!
MC's phone shines.
Phone: New Path detected. Subject: Burn Striker Connectivity: Very Strong
Phone: Connect?
MC: Let's do this! You ready!?
Furlong: Yes!
Yasuhiko: Hey wait something's different!
Melide: I knew it!
Vulpecula is also watching.
Vulpecula: Hmmmm...
Transformation complete!
Furlong: Wait, what!?
MC: Success! / Awesome / W-whoa that's sexy
Yellow: Is transforming into a new form even possible!?
Green: No wait I heard of this before! I've seen it sometimes in Parallel Flight's videos!
Purple: So MC did that!?
Furlong: MC, is this...?
MC: Show time, Furlong!
Furlong: ...right! Thank you very much! (turns back to Yasuhiko and the others) I'm ready! Let's get started!
Yasuhiko: Okay! Start the battle, guys!
Circus Troupe: YEAHHH!
BATTLE START (more happens afterwards)
Yasuhiko: Come, Lennart!
Yasuhiko strikes the ground with his whip, creating a lion out of light crystals to attack Furlong.
MC: WHAT, dodge Furlong!
Furlong: Got it!
Lennart missed!
Yasuhiko: Whoa he's so agile!
The trainees attempt to attack Furlong too, who backflips eight times away from them.
Furlong: ...there!
Furlong has landed in front of the trampoline.
Green: I'll get you this time!
Furlong: Hup...!
Furlong jumps onto the trampoline.
Furlong: I can do this!
Melide: Furlong!?
Furlong jumps high!
Yasuhiko: Oh my god Furlong!
Furlong: I'm okay! I'll entertain the audience and save Yasuhiko!
Furlong looks worried when he looks down, but...
Furlong: Let's go! Special Move "Acróbata de Acuario"!
Furlong uses the stored VP, scattering shining crystal feathers as he flips 2-3 times midair.
MC: Is that his new move!? Whoa!
Furlong meteor dives to where the troupe has gathered and slams down. A crystal wind blows them away.
Circus Troupe: AAAAHH
The wind stops, forming a lull. Furlong slowly gets up, then spreads his arms out.
Furlong: Voila!
Then Furlong cancels out his transformation.
Yasuhiko starts clapping while still looking shocked.
Yasuhiko: THAT WAS AWESOME
The trainees start clapping too.
MC: You were so cool, Furlong!
Furlong: H-haha! I did it! ...oh. (collapses to his knees)
Yasuhiko: (runs up along with Lennart) Furlong!? Is it your injury...!?
Furlong: N-no. When I started thinking again about how high I jumped, I lost the feeling in my legs. I guess I'm still no good with heights.
Furlong smiles wryly. Yasuhiko sighs in relief.
Yasuhiko: Well that's good. But why go so far? You didn't have to go on the trampoline if it was a problem... Why go so far as to get a new form?
Furlong: ...I want to entertain the visitors. And...I want to help this circus you got from your family...
Yasuhiko: What?
Furlong: I...have a lot of regrets about how I can't get my home and family back no matter how much I want to. It was all taken from me...so I want you to treasure what your family left for you. And for that, I want to do whatever I can to make things more exciting.
Yasuhiko: ...oh.
Melide: Heh. That's Furlong for you.
Yasuhiko's crystal construct lion Lennart bumps past him to cuddle against Furlong.
Furlong: W-what!?
Yasuhiko: Haha, he likes you. He's always been friendly, but he especially likes people that care about me.
Furlong: ...oh, haha.
Furlong pets Lennart's mane, who enjoys it. Furlong smiles too.
Furlong: Hehe, thank you.
Vulpecula: *(hands on chin)* You have that power? ...I'm a little interested in you, MC.
End of Episode
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